Neutrophil-induced transmigration of tumour cells treated with tumour- conditioned medium is facilitated by granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor

Objective: To investigate the effect of different cytokines that are present in tumour-conditioned medium on human neutrophil (PMN)-induced tumour cell transmigration. Design: Laboratory study. Setting: University hospital, Ireland. Material: Isolated human PMN and cultured human breast tumour cell line, MDA-MB-231. Interventions: Human PMN treated with either tumour- conditioned medium or different media neutralised with monoclonal antibodies (MoAb), and MDA-MB-231 cells were plated on macrovascular and microvascular endothelial monolayers in collagen-coated transwells to assess migration of tumour cells. Main Outcome Measures: Cytokines present in tumour-conditioned medium, PMN cytocidal function and receptor expression, and tumour cell transmigration. Results: tumour-conditioned medium contained high concentrations of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin 8 (IL-8), but not granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and interleukin 3 (IL-3). Anti- GM-CSF MoAb significantly reduced PMN-induced transmigration of tumour cells treated with tumour-conditioned medium (p < 0.05), whereas anti-VEGF and anti-IL-8 MoAbs did not affect their migration. In addition, anti-GM-CSF MoAb, but not anti-VEGF or anti-IL-8 MoAb, reduced PMN CD11b and CD18 overexpression induced by tumour-conditioned medium (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that the GM-CSF that is present in tumour-conditioned medium may be involved, at least in part, in alterations in PMN function mediated by the medium and subsequently PMN-induced transmigration of tumour cells.